NCsoft and Cryptic announce the launch of Chapter 9 of City of Heroes/City of
Villains, adding a new crafting system and auction houses:

AUSTIN, Texas,
May 3, 2007 — NCsoft® and Cryptic Studios™ have released the newest expansion to
City of Heroes® and City of Villains® delivering greater depth to players with
the inclusion of an innovative crafting system and auction houses. The
expansion, “Issue 9: Breakthrough”, free to current subscribers, also includes
new high-level adventures with the new Statesman™ Taskforce and an update of the
Hamidon Encounter.

The City of Heroes franchise recently celebrated its third birthday, during
which time the game has seen eight free major content expansions and the
addition of the companion game, City of Villains to create one of the most
popular and robust, comic-book based PC games on the market. The content
delivered in Issue 9 rounds-out the game’s features, providing players the
chance to develop their crafting skills and use loot earned in battle.

The new invention system, available for both heroes and villains, allows players
to craft custom made, high-powered enhancements as well as unique costume pieces
and temporary powers. Players collect loot in the form or salvage and invention
recipes found after defeating enemies and completing missions to create the
uber-enhancements and other items. This allows players to develop crafting
skills to go along with their combat abilities.

Players who create items using the new invention system can either use them to
enhance their characters or take them to the game’s new consignment markets to
share with other players while earning valuable currency. For heroes,
Wentworth’s Fine Consignments have opened their doors throughout Paragon City™
where newly crafted items can be put up for auction. Villain craftsmen can take
their items to the black market auction in trucks placed throughout the Rogue
Isles™.

“The new systems added to Issue 9 should give players a lot to do outside of
combat,” said Matt Miller, Cryptic Studio’s lead designer for City of Heroes and
City of Villains. “Now players can be craftsmen along with being heroes or
villains, and earn a living by custom building items and taking them to the
consignment market for sale. This is a big component to making the ‘City of’
world a deeper and richer experience.”

Issue 9 also adds high-level missions to the game with the Statesman’s Task
Force where heroes can gain major rewards for protecting Paragon City from the
forces of evil and Lord Recluse™. Additionally, the end-game raid challenge, the
Hamidon Encounter, is now available for villains and has been revamped for
heroes so new tactics will be needed to defeat one of the games’ greatest
threats.

Players can join in the City of Heroes and City of Villains adventures via the
new “Good Versus Evil Edition” game pack which is now available at retailers
across North America. The “Good Versus Evil Edition” includes complete City of
Heroes and City of Villains games, as well as a set of exclusive bonus items.
Customers receive the first month of play free and both games can be played for
the single monthly subscription price of $14.99.

i never played this game, so pardon my ignorance, but there hasn't been crafting and auction houses? what the hell do you do? not that that's all one does in an mmo, but it's a large part of it. do you just battle constantly? sounds boring.